The invention relates to a sealing element particularly for a movable roof section of a vehicle, with a pocket formed in the sealing element which pocket is delimited by a sealing wall and open toward one side.
DE 44 41 667 C1 discloses a sealing element which, in a folding roof, that is movable between an open position and a closed position in which the passenger space is covered, is arranged in a seal gap between the vehicle roof and the vehicle body. In the closed position of the vehicle roof, the sealing element is intended to provide for a wind-, pressure-, and particularly water-tight closing of the roof. For its mounting to a web of the vehicle body, the sealing element includes a clamping section in the form of a U-shaped reception space into which rubber lips extend which are formed integrally with a sealing wall and which apply to the web inserted into the reception space a clamping force which counteracts inadvertent release of the sealing element from the web.
Since, generally, cables extend particularly through the are in which the sealing gap is provided, for example for supplying power to an electric motor, for supplying hydraulic fluid to a hydraulic actuator or for operating a roof element movably supported in a roof opening, care must be taken that, in the closed position of the vehicle roof, the cables do not form obstacles in the sealing gap by which the sealing capability can be detrimentally affected. The cables must therefore be arranged at a distance from the sealing gap and must be fixed in position by suitable mounting elements. Otherwise, gaps may form between the sealing surfaces of the sealing element and the cable through which water may enter the vehicle interior.
DE 691 11 020 T2 discloses a sealing structure for an engine compartment of a motor vehicle which includes a seal member with a pocket for the reception of the cables. The pocket may be disposed at the inside or at the outside of the seal member. In a first embodiment, the pocket is circular and forms a closed channel. In a second embodiment, the pocket is partially circular and provided with a radial insert opening for the insertion of the cable. In both embodiments, the pocket forms a cable guide channel, which however includes no means for preventing an unintended release of the cable from the guide channel.
Particularly with the partially open pocket, the cable may move out of the guide channel as a result of vibrations so that the cable then moves in an uncontrollable manner and may be damaged.
DE 691 11 020 T2 discloses an embodiment wherein the receiver pocket is arranged at the inside within a cavity of the seal member. In this embodiment, the cable can be inserted into the cable guide channel in the receiver pocket only by way of the axial ends, not from a side thereof. The installation of the cable is therefore very difficult.
It is the object of the present invention to provide such a seal structure wherein power supply cables or drive cables for a movable vehicle roof can be easily installed without detrimentally affecting the sealing functions of the seal structure.
In a sealing element for a movable roof section of a vehicle which seal element includes a pocket delimited by a sealing wall of the sealing element and is open toward one side for receiving cables, a cable guide channel is formed on the inside of the sealing wall so as to be accessible by way of the open side of the pocket and a sealing lip extends over the open side of the pocket and forms, between the outside of the sealing wall and the sealing lip, a seal channel for receiving a part of the movable roof section when the movable roof section is closed.
The seal member includes a sidewardly open pocket, which has generally a U-shaped cross-section and is limited by a sealing wall of the sealing element. Within the pocket, a cable guide channel is provided into which a cable may be inserted by way of the open side of the pocket. Such a design permits a secure integration of a cable into the sealing element in such a way that the sealing element assumes, in addition to its sealing function also a retaining function for the cable whereby separate mounting elements for fixing the cable to the roof section or the vehicle body are not needed. The cable is securely retained in the sealing element since the cable guide channel is arranged within the receiver pocket in the sealing element so that even if the cable is unintentionally released from the cable guide channel, it is still within the receiver pocket of the sealing element. In this way, a sufficiently secure retaining structure is provided which prevents a the full release of the cable so that the cable will in no case hang down from the roof in the arc of the roof opening.
Expediently, the cable may be engaged in the cable guide channel in a form-fitting manner. The guide channel may, for example, be adapted to the form of the cable and may be open only partially along the side thereof to permit the insertion of the cable into the cable guide channel. The form-locking engagement however may be achieved also by way of a rubber lip, which is preferably formed integrally with the seal element and which delimits the cable guide channel at one side thereof. In order to improve the clamping effect, the rubber lip may be inclined in the direction toward the bottom of the receiving pocket, whereby the cable is more firmly held in the cable guide channel and is engaged therein with an increased clamping force. However, the cable guide channel may also be delimited by a rubber lip at two sides thereof.
The receiving pocket is delimited by a sealing wall, on which the cable guide channel is formed within the receiving pocket. The outer side of the sealing wall remote from the receiving pocket of the sealing wall may form a seal surface, which is engaged in the seal position by a component to be sealed.
Advantageously at least two cable guide channels are provided in the receiving pocket which may for example both be separated by a common rubber lip. The two cable guide channels may be arranged behind one another between the bottom of the receiving pocket and the insertion side of the receiving pocket opposite the bottom. The wall sections or rubber lips separating the cable guide channels form an obstacle for the installed cable and prevent an unintended release of the cable from the receiving pocket.
In order to increase the stability, a reinforcement strip may be inserted into the seal wall, which delimits the receiving pocket.
Further advantages and suitable embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention on the basis of the accompanying drawings.